The ongoing decline in biodiversity threatens fundamental ecosystem functions. An increased fragmentation of habitats in continental Europe has yielded a gradual loss in animal species and plants which jeopardizes human utilization of natural resources. Willing to complement the EU’s efforts to halt this trend, the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) promotes nature protection cooperation between the EU and its Eastern and Southern neighbours. To support the effort, the European Commission has issued a guide to nature protection for its European neighbours and Russia. The guide is available for download in four different languages.
Drafted by Ecologic Fellow Sandra Naumann, the guide outlines a wide range of benefits deriving from compliance with EU nature protection policies like the habitats directive (EC Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora). However, the environmental and socio-economic gains associated with these successes will not materialise unless the main challenges to convergence are overcome. To achieve this goal, the guide serves as a roadmap toward sustainable nature protection.
The guide is a result of Ecologic's project Environmental Components of the European Neighbourhood Policy.
The guide can be downloaded in four languages:
This guide on nature protection policy is part of a series of short convergence guides for ENP Partners and Russia published by the European Commission. Their purpose is to help EU neighbours realise the benefits associated with ENP Action Plans.
The following guides have been published in this series:
